Spring in Sadida
by m.tarnina
Summary: Spring brings a long-awaited visit in Sadida. Adamai is snarky, Amalia struggles with growing up, the kids are cute. Rated for how bad example the princess is. Follow-up of Winter in Amakna, but all the important things are stated as they come up.
1. Chapter 1

A "lee" came out of the little mouth.

"You think so?" Yugo tilted his head, pretending to be deep in thought, and blinked at Eva, who giggled. Dally, sitting on the bench at her side, rested his chin on the archer's shoulder for a better look at the bundle she was holding.

"She's got her mom's brain" he said proudly "you can tell, right?

All three of them laughed, and Amalia crossed her arms. I'm this close to a great loud scream, she thought.

The trees swayed gently on the breeze, Dally's statue shone like real gold, it didn't even smell like rain anymore, just herbs and grass warmed by the sun. It's been only a week since the roads dried and hardened enough for the cart to get Yugo and his family from Emelka to Sadida, to visit the princess.

And now, instead of spending this time with her, he was either in the library or cooing over this kid.

"My Xena" said Dally in an adoring tone "will grow up to be the smartest - oi!" he cried at Eva and Yugo, who were giggling again. Amalia rolled her eyes. With a loud sigh, she plunked herself beside the bench, automatically plucked a blade of grass and proceeded to mangle it in an absent way.

"Sweetie" Eva untangled one slim hand from the shawl she and her baby were wrapped in, to pat the redhead's.

"We talked about this, remember?"

"What's wrong with this name?" Dally huffed. The baby sneezed, and her mother fixed the shawl on reflex.

"I just don't think it's her" she explained with a very thorough lack of a giggle.

"You don't?"

"M-m."

"I dunno what to call her then" Dally sighed, leaning forwards, his elbows on his knees.

"Laskarina" Rubilax mumbled from his side.

Eva bit her lip, Yugo's eyes went large and shiny. Amalia gripped the turf as strong as she could to stop herself from banging her head on the bench.

"Erm, no, thanks. Bit long." Dally said absently.

"Couldn't remember that, eh?"

"You know" said Yugo, putting his hands into his pockets, his eyes never off the white bundle in Eva's arms, "how about River?"

"River? I don't know..."

"But, Eva, listen-"

Enough. Amalia was through with it. Yugo began a long, convoluted lecture on the advantages of the name "River", punctuated by broad gestures. He was looking at Eva, sometimes at Dally, who kept chiming in, but not once, not even once did he look at Amalia. So the princess rose from the grass and brushed at her skirt. Then she brushed it again, glancing from behind her bangs at Yugo, completely lost in his argument. The sitters on the bench (and Rubilax!) ignored her completely.

Which is why she turned and left.

* * *

Amalia shook herself off, fluttered her eyelashes to get rid of the black spots that filled her vision, then glared at the insolent person who bumped into her, a look capable of scorching bark right off a tree. The insolent person turned out to be Adamai, so, for her troubles, she got the privilege to see a dragon goggle.

"A princess attacks a dragon" he said "the world's gone crazy."

Amalia gave him the highest and mightiest look in her arsenal.

"When a dragon runs around like a drunk arachnee" she stated " it's no wonder he bumps into people."

"That doesn't apply to princesses?"

"It's my house! I can still walk around it!"

"You walk around with your head in the clouds."

"Excuse me?"

"I forgive you." Leisurely, Adamai got up from the resin floor, stretched, then began a methodical brushing off of his scales, looking askance at the princess, who still sat, legs wide, in the middle of the hallway.

"What, beow-meow got your tongue?"

Amalia jumped.

"You lizard, you scaly reptilian, you!"

"Such a nice lady."

"You haven't seen me nice yet" Amalia growled. Adamai grinned, then courtsied, hands wide apart.

"Oh, Yugo" he chittered in a sickeningly sweet tone "you're-ow!"

Rubbing her hand, Amalia murmured "Shut it."

"You know, I think you dented some scales. Okay, okay," he added, taking a step back. "You're a prickly one."

"Shut. Up."

"Yeah, yeah, right, don't antagonise the mighty sadida, sure."

"Adamai, you're asking for it."

The dragon shrugged, scowling in mock pain. For a while they stood in a green hallway, silent, not looking at each other.

"Where's Yugo?" Adamai finally asked, and now it was Amalia's turn to shrug.

"By the statue."

The dragon frowned, but remained where he was.

"Well, go to him!"

"He'll be in the library in a while." Adamai said carelessly.

"So why ask?"

"Just cause."

Amalia tossed her hair back.

"You've got to keep the conversation going in company, so they told me" Adamai continued. "Lovely weather we're having, aren't we?"

"Very lovely" Amalia muttered.

"Flowers bloom, birds chirp..."

"Adamai..."

"Hey, if you want to talk about Yugo, I'm all for it. I've last seen him at breakfast, how about you?"

She propped her back on a smooth wooden portion of the wall. "Just a moment ago" she admitted, "but he didn't see me."

"What, have you turned yourself into a bush?"

She smacked him again, with less energy this time, but Adamai still made a show of rubbing the place hit.

"Subtlety itself."

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Amalia mumbled, pushing away from the wall. The dragon moved into her way.

"The kids are napping, Alibert went to town, your brother's nowhere to be found. I could go and study but I don't feel like it. Hey, what's wrong?"

Because Amalia sniffled loudly.

"Armand is in the valley" she explained "he'll be back in a couple of days."

"And you're crying because of that?"

"I'm not crying!"

The dragon's eyebrows went as high as they could without flying off.

"Yugo's got his nose in the books all day, father is always busy, Eva's forgoten about me..." the princess's voice had a definitely wet quality to it.

"What about these two heads of cabbage who follow you around, whass-their-names?"

"Canar and Renate? They're trying to help Eva" Amalia pouted "and she sends them on all sorts of wild goose chases to get a quiet moment."

"Ah."

The dragon waited for Amalia to finish wiping her eyes before he said "Did I tell you about my great discovery in Emelka?"

"Eliatrope ruins, I heard something."

"The first thing Yugo did was to upbraid me for that."

"Not for going there alone? No backup? And getting hurt?"

"Puff."

"He wouldn't have come for me" she muttered, making Adamai snort.

"For you? He'd come flying, babe."

Amalia's bangs tickled her nose, and she brushed them aside.

"No. You've been here for three days and I only talked to him twice. Maybe."

"Wanna learn? Come to the library!"

* * *

Eva had told him the palace library had a special sort of ambience, but Yugo never understood that until he went in himself. The high, pointed windows let in lots of light, brown branches grew out of the floor, interweaving to make tables and shelving units, with an emerald leaf here and there. Yugo could easily just close his eyes and walk around by the soft glow of wakfu, given off by the living wood along with resin fragrance and the feeling of calm. Whenever he went in, Yugo would stroke the branch by the entrance, part of the shelf containing a collection of thick atlases. And it always would give him a pleasant tingling sensation.

The Tree of Sadida welcomed him as a friend.

* * *

Yugo was sitting at a table, cheek propped on a hand, stooping over a huge tome. He didn't see them. His other hand was playing with a pencil.

"Well?" Amalia hissed, when Adamai pulled her back behind the shelf.

"What now?"

The dragon tilted his head, thinking.

"And what's he studying, anyway?"

"History, geography" Adamai shrugged "all he can use when the eliatropes come."

Amalia lodged her elbow between shelves to lean further forwards.

"When will that happen?"

"Dunno. Watch-"

His words drowned in a horrible clatter of a wooden floor suddenly meeting a very solid piece of a princess.

"Ohhh..."

There was a screech of a chair pushed back.

"Amalia?"

A hand appeared in front of her which Amalia grabbed on reflex. She bit her lip, because pulling up to standing position made her elbow complain.

"Made noise like a herd of gobbals" muttered Adamai, but Yugo asked with concern "Are you all right?"

The elbow hurt a bit, but seemed to bend.

"No. I think."

"Are you sure? Come and sit down."

He led her to the chair, got a stack of books off the other one and nodded at his brother.

"Something happened?" he asked, putting the books on the table.

"We just came for a chat" the princess said. Yugo raised his eyebrows.

"Now? It couldn't have waited till I'm done?"

Adamai let out a soft snort.

"You'll never be done" Amalia said.

"Done for today" Yugo clarified with a smile, but she blurted "We barely even see each other. Stop it with the puzzled face! You're either here or twittering over the kid."

"Twittering?"

"Ooh, Eva, she's so cute, coo, coo, coo" Amalia said exaggeratedly.

"Har, har. You know perfectly well where I am."

The princess crossed her arms, straightening proudly.

"You always shake me off."

"When did I last shake you off?" Yugo stared at her from askance.

"When did we last talk?"

"You know I have to study."

"I don't know! Amalia jumped up, sending the chair crashing to the floor. "You never tell me a thing!"

Yugo shook his head, and she added "Have you come for me or for the library?"

"You're being unfair, Amalia."

"I'm unfair? I've been waiting for you all winter!"

"I missed you, too."

"Really? Haven't noticed." The princess snorted.

Adamai slid off his chair, but Yugo steadily held Amalia's gaze. Her cheeks reddened. She tossed her hair back with a flourish.

"You're not showing it!" She finally screamed before running out of the room.

"Girls" Adamai muttered after a moment's silence.

Yugo put the chair back up, sat on it and hid his face in his hands, elbows on the table.

"Must be from another dimension" the dragon said awkwardly.

"Yeah." There were pencils scattered on the table top, and Yugo started pushing them around. He arranged them in a row, then for a while moved pencils from one end of it to the other, and then he stood up.

"Guess I'd better say sorry."

The dragon shook his head. "Now? Let her cool off."

"I'd rather she didn't fall into a hole" Yugo smiled slightly.

"That was a completely-"

The eliatrope stretched, gathered the pencils into his pocket, and started to divide the books into two equal stacks.

"Done for now?" Adamai asked.

"Uhm."

"What do we do now, then?"

"Go looking for the librarian" Yugo picked up one portion of books, so Adamai snatched the other and followed him deeper into the library.

* * *

Her sandals thumped an uneven rhythm on the resin floor. Amalia pushed the door at full pelt, dashed through the arcade, barely noticing a colourful group of handmaids. A turn, a hall, another arcade and finally she was in a small side corridor in front of the door she had been looking for, one woven from leafy boughs. She rested her hands on the door, sent a little wakfu in and the boughs parted before her.

Amalia went out into the sunlit open. Grass was tickling her feet between the straps of her sandals. She took them off. The turf was cool and moist.

Carrying her shoes, Amalia walked forwards, unthinkingly avoiding trees and bushes and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Why couldn't Yugo just have told her he had important business? Why won't anyone tell her anything?

Behind the leaves she heard a high-pitched voice, all too familiar. Leave them alone for five minutes... Shaking her head, she pushed the branches aside, but froze mid-gesture.

By the statue of a triumphant iop there was a blanket spread on the ground. As far as she could tell, it was an agressive fuchsia colour, but (thank Sadida for small graces) the horrible fabric had been mostly covered with heaps of milk bottles, rag dolls, rattles, baubles and ribbons which tied it all up together into an incredible ball of mess. At the edge of it Eva sat, gingerly, hugging her baby, a harassed expression on her face. Between her and the two courtiers stood Dally, hands on his sides, firmly engaged in losing the discussion. He just didn't know this yet.

"So, you're going?"

"And leave you here without help?" Canar chattered, waving a soft toy bow-meow which Amalia had lost a couple of days back.

"What help?" There was only an honest puzzlement in Dally's voice. The princess was sure Rubilax rolled his eye.

"Listen" Eva said, "we are very grateful, but-"

"O, Eva, dear, bringing up our little Bouboulina is a duty of us all!"

Amalia bit her lip in order not to laugh at the faces the new parents made.

"Yuck" Renate scowled "you still want to name her Bouboulina? Well, look at her! Does she look like a Bouboulina to you?"

"More than she looks like an Artemisia" Canar retorted.

"What are you doing?" asked Amalia, emerging from behind the bush. The courtiers stared at her, nonplussed. Canar hid the bow-meow behind his back.

"Thank Cra" Eva sighed.

"Hi, Amalia" said Dally tiredly.

The princess took a long, hard look at the childish items dump around Eva, then she sighed theatrically. She did notice Canar dropping the toy.

"Well?"

"O, Amalia, sweetie" Renate chippered "we're trying to make life a bit easier for our Eva."

The princess lifted her eyebrow, really, really high.

"See yourself, the poor thing's over her head."

"We found them here" his colleague chimed in "they didn't even have a blanket! They needed so many things, see?"

"Still don't have any swimming trunks or sawmills" Rubilax cackled, but it was cut short by Amalia's stomping.

"Your duties do not include" she hissed "playing nanny and carrying things out of the palace!"

"But Eva needed-"

"Silence! You're bothering Eva instead of doing your job."

"What's our job?" Renate asked, confused, and Rubilax at Dally's side roared with laughter.

"Not this!"

"But-"

Canar's words were drowned out by a sound exactly like this made by Ruel when a coin fell into a gorge. Blinking, Amalia looked around. Impossible for such a tiny...

"There, there" Eva was rocking the white bundle in her arms. Amalia couldn't actually hear her say it, just read her lips. That kid had a very good pair of lungs.

"Eva..."

The cra rose carefully, rocking her screaming baby, and slowly went towards the palace. Even if she's heard Amalia, she didn't show it, and Dally's back hid her from the princess's view within a moment anyway. Neither the ginger or his beloved looked back.

Amalia watched them vanish among the trees, then she stared at the trees, until the baby's crying dissolved into a ringing silence.

Then she turned. There was an impressive still life of discarded toys at her feet, but not a trace of Canar or Renate, only a plushie bow-meow, staring at her with button eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

The moonlight, even filtered through the green curtain, was too bright for Amalia to fall asleep. She turned over, but reflected off the wall it still hurt her eyes. Screwing them closed proved to be counterproductive, as she needed to focus on it very hard. She gave up.

Threw the covers away and sat on the bed.

A cool breeze rippled the curtain, the spots of light on the floor and on the wall wavered. Amalia pulled her knees up to her chin. Too bright to sleep, too dark to do anything.

In the corner of the room she could make out a loom with a half-finished fabric she started making while Eva still wanted to talk to her.

Why don't they want me any more, Amalia thought. Her stomach rumbled.

Right, she didn't go down to dinner. Wasn't hungry then, or maybe just felt sick at the very thought of eating alone. In a huge hall full of people, but alone. She stood up, reaching for her dressing robe.

* * *

There was a clink of ceramic. Amalia froze. Then she lowered her lantern, seeing a line of light under the kitchen door.

She shook her head.

"Dad" she said, entering "your diet-"

"Hey, nagging gal" Adamai was sitting on the counter top, huge jar of nut paste in his lap. Beside him there sat a lit lantern and a plate loaded with rusks.

"Ah" the princess said.

The dragon licked paste off his blue lips, loudly.

"There are more rusks there" he pointed at an open box with his chin "help yourself."

"You do know this is my house?" she asked, putting her lantern on the table, next to a basket of citronanas. With her foot she pulled out a stool from under the table.

Adamai shrugged. For a while they were both munching in silence, he on a rusk, she on a fruit.

"Yugo's really in a sweat, you know" he said, seeing her reach for another.

"Is he."

"Yeah."

Amalia made a show of biting into the citronana.

"You know, he really wants to find eliatropes the perfect place."

"Those eliatropes nobody's ever seen, cause they're in a space-time pocket, being looked after by an ancient dragon?"

"He's seen them."

The princess frowned and the dragon spread his hands.

"Come on. He cares."

"I know" she sighed. Carefully she folded the citronana skin in half, and in half again.

"I just thought he was coming to see me. Us." she corrected herself, but Adamai snorted.

"What? You try staring at the rain all winter."

The dragon rolled his eyes.

"What did you think I was doing?"

"Ah, right, broken leg" Amalia muttered, stealing a couple of rusks from his plate.

"Even before it was broken. And it happened in an authentic eliatrope ruined town."

The princess gave him a look. The dragon nodded, very serious, so she swallowed and said "You're kidding."

"Dragon swear. Found them myself, just a stone toss from Emelka, we haven't even explored the place properly yet."

"Wow" Amalia leaned her back against the table edge.

"So enthusiastic."

She pushed the rusk whole into her mouth and chomped on it, scattering crumbs.

"Mg... do you have to stare?"

"Rare sight, a princess with table manners of a gobbal."

"Look who's talking."

Adamai rested his elbows on his knees. "Why are you so angry?"

"Angry? Me, angry?"

He nodded. Amalia blinked, sighed and smoothed her robe.

"Father's got the entire country to think of. There was a flood in the valley, did you know? So he sent Armand with the men and they're in touch all the time, but tell me nothing. As if I wasn't concerned."

She brushed her bangs aside with her free hand.

"Eva's got the baby. The kid doesn't even have a name! But she and Dally can think of nothing else. I was hoping that Yugo-"

"Would play with you?" Adamai survived her glare to add "My brother, dear princess, is crazy about his responsibilities. At least with you he wants to spend time, he's just convinced himself he doesn't have any."

Amalia leaned back, elbows on the table behind her, looking thoughtfully at the dragon.

"Really?

"Really. Alibert, the kids, the eliatropes, everything's more important than he is."

"Everything except me."

Adamai waved his hand, got himself another rusk and scooped some nut paste with it.

"You too" he mumbled, mouth full. Amalia frowned.

"If you suddenly" Adamai wiped his mouth with the back of his hand "needed something, he'd come flying."

"I need company!"

"You've got these handmaiden lot." Amalia snorted " _Lot_?"

"And the heads of cabbage."

"Canar and Renate want to annoy Eva right now. Listen..."

Adamai tilted his head.

"What sort help were you thinking of?"

"Dunno. He'd help you study, that's certain."

Amalia stared at the floor.

"I want to go adventuring again" she muttered.

"Or if you were in any danger..."

"I'm in danger of getting bored to death."

"M-m." Something on this level."

A snort escaped Amalia without consulting her brain.

"Have you been listening?"

"Sure. Horrible danger for Yugo to rescue you from. How about a dragon laying waste to the villages?"

"Stay away from our villages. Besides, you're no Bolgrot, and I'm not going to be Helsephine."

Adamai's heels knocked a quick beat on the cabinet door.

"Flood? Epidemic" he added hastily, seeing Amalia's face. "Brigands?"

The princess gave in and chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand.

* * *

Several days later

* * *

Yugo heartily apologised to the old gnarly librarian for leaving him with all this transcription to do. The old sadida had been of enormous help, recommended some interesting books, told him great stories, and if Yugo hadn't promised his little brothers a picnic, he'd probably stay some more. And if old Juglans didn't chase him out. He said the rumbling of the young eliatrope's stomach shook the entire table, then he winked, so Yugo felt justified. Dad must already be out in the garden, but which one?

Now the boy stood in a fork in a corridor, fingering the hem of his tunic and trying to remember where he was supposed to go.

"All night in the library, eh?"

He turned with a smile. He had to crane his neck to look the king of Sadida in the eye.

"Good morning. Not all night, erm..."

He chuckled, rubbing his neck, and the king laughed as well.

"I know, I know" he patted Yugo's shoulder, "sit down just for a while, and close the book at sunrise. Alibert is waiting for you in the children's garden. Coming?"

They went down the corridor with branch-woven walls.

"I guess it's getting better in the valley" Yugo remarked.

"Yes, it's under control now. Armand wants to stay a couple of days more, keep an eye on the rebuilding. I must say I'm happy with how he handled this."

Yugo nodded, his blonde fringe covering his eyes. He knew how much the prince craved his father's approval.

"Now we can rest and enjoy spring. Can you believe, Yugo, I haven't even seen the little... what did they call her?"

"Right now they're torn between Grażyna and Boadicea."

The king stopped in his tracks.

"Really?"

"They were talking about this yesterday, but I don't think they like either."

"No wonder" the king walked on, shaking his head. "Mind you, Grażyna is quite nice."

Yugo had to run to join him.

"Yes, but Dally can't pronounce it."

The king laughed softly.

"Let's hope they will come up with something before she learns to speak."

"Maybe she'll tell them then?"

Yugo pushed a door, woven from branches, but suspended on normal hinges. They walked into a garden, one of the courts, filled to the brim with greenery, which the palace had several of. This particular one was obviously meant for children. It had short, gnarly trees with wide branches, just the thing for climbing, and even if you fell down, there was a thick, soft carpet of grass, with tiny white flowers. A patch of white sand led into the garden.

"Ah, so long since I've been here last" the king breathed in the air, filled with api fragrance.

"Since Amalia grew up enough to be let out into the forest on her own."

Yugo put his hands in his pockets and stared at the sand under his feet.

"Anything wrong, my boy?"

"No, no."

"Yugo" the king touched his shoulder "you can tell me if you had a fight."

"I don't even know if we did. I think she's angry with me" he rubbed his neck, embarrassed.

They were silent for a while. Behind the trees Alibert's booming laughter sounded.

"Why?" the king finally asked.

"I don't know! She said I was avoiding her, when she's the one avoiding me! What is that about?"

King Sheran Sharm, the ruler of all Sadida, sighed. "Girls have their whims" he said, not quite confidently.

"But that's not it" Yugo guessed.

"No. Although it has to do with growing up, as well."

"Mhm" these days, Yugo thought, everything has to do with growing up. He couldn't see what the big thing was, and how it could explain anything. Even Dally was a "grown-up". That couldn't be too complicated.

"She knows I have to study."

"And I have to work" the king nodded.

They strolled into the garden.

"Eva and Dally are a bit busy, but-"

Yugo slapped his forehead.

"Nobody has time for her. I never thought..."

"Yugo" the king brushed his hand across a branch that hung over the path "do you know how many people are there in my court?"

"...no?"

"And how many handmaidens Amalia has?"

"Mmm..."

"There's always someone to keep her company. Always."

But she wants to be with us!"

"I know. Except we have our duties, some of them immediately tied to her happiness."

Yugo bit his lip.

"Often-times you can't have what you want" said the king and Yugo added "Not unless you destroy the world for it" and smiled.

"Well said."

Before Yugo could answer, wings fluttered and something small, but determined knocked him down to the ground. He fell onto his back, firmly holding the scaly creature.

"Grougal!"

The king boomed with laughter as the dragonette treaded a circle on Yugo's stomach, tail waving high like a flag. Yugo sat up, his arm around the baby dragon.

"You're horrible" he said fondly. The dragonette sneezed.

A gate slammed. A young, breathless sadida ran towards them, ignoring the path.

"Lord... lord..."

"Well, what it is?"

"The princess... dragoturkey... returned without her..."


	3. Chapter 3

Dragoturkey claws scratched wood. The animal shook Yugo's hand off its back. Automatically, he put it into his pocket.

"Did she say where she was going?" the king asked, and the stable boy straightened his back in exactly the same way dragoturkeys did.

"No, lord."

The other stable boy took Amalia's steed by the woven reins to walk it to its stall.

"Wait" the king said. "Yugo, have you learned anything?"

He shook his head. Claws tapped on wood. The dragonette in Yugo's arms struggled and the boy hugged it closer.

"If she told me... if I went with her..."

"You'd both be in trouble right now."

"Oh, hello."

The eliatrope raised his head to see Adamai standing in the open doorway.

"Anything the matter?" the white dragon asked, hands on his hips. "Cause the kids are getting impatient, there, see?"

With his chin, he indicated the baby Grougal, who at the same moment slipped out of Yugo's embrace and dashed into the forest, nearly clipping his wing on Adamai's head.

"You forgot about the picnic? Hey?"

Before he knew it, Yugo was hugging him.

"So good you're here!" he said "We can look for Amalia from above!"

"What?"

The king nodded. "Good idea. I'll organise the search on the ground."

"Amalia?" Adamai asked, breathless.

"I'll explain on the way" Yugo said, moving back to give him space. Adamai glanced at him, then at the king, whose dark irises twinkled with light, then he shrugged and changed form.

* * *

As he thought, the search continued long into the night. Yugo was on edge, hands clenched on the dragon's horns, more fidgety every minute. When Adamai tried to talk, he got curt, distracted answers. When it turned dark and they had to go back, Yugo sniffed loudly, then pressed his cheek to the dragon's back. He made no sound anymore. The moment they were in their room, he fell on his bed and asleep.

* * *

Amalia covered her head with her arm. She pulled her knees to her chest, mumbling, and when a hard, cold object touched her foot, kicked at it reflexively.

"Ow! Are you nuts?"

"What do you want, Adamai?" she muttered.

"Morning report, milady" he growled.

Far away in the forest trumpets sounded. Amalia propped herself on one arm, eyelids fluttering. Her hiding place, magically woven into the branches of a carefully chosen bush, was filled with greenish light, shot with gold where a sunbeam managed to squeeze in between the leaves. As to things material, it held a small shoulder bag, a nettle fibre blanket and the princess herself, who was lying on the blanket, but there wasn't enough space for Adamai. He had to squat in the entrance.

"What?"

She pulled her legs underneath herself and scrambled into a sort of sitting position, rubbing her arm. Then she reached for her bag.

"You owe me a kama."

The princess froze mid-gesture.

"He bought it?"

"Girl. Use your ears. Your father bought it."

Amalia's hand fell down on the blanket.

"Really?" she breathed.

"Wasn't that what you wanted?"

"Mhm" she shook, then pulled the bag closer to herself by the strap.

"I sense a note of disappointment."

Scowling, she rummaged in her bag.

"So, are we go for the rest of the plan?" Adamai wanted to know.

The princess bit into an api she got out of the bag and nodded.

"By your house, right?"

"Yes, at noon."

The dragon nodded before commencing the difficult operation of backing out from the mass of thorny branches.

"Adamai!"

"Louder, please. What?"

Amalia ran her hand through her hair.

"I forgot."

The dragon gave a long-suffering sigh.

* * *

She decided to leave the bag in her house. It would be there to pick up any time. While she was there, she had a good long look into the mirror on the wall, which told her she looked like a haystack, so she fixed her hair. Then she tossed it into disarray again, pouted at her reflection and smoothed her hair down. I slept in the forest, she thought. Can't look too good. A trumpet called in the distance.

Amalia looked out of the window to see how high the sun was, nodded, and climbed down to the ground to hide in the understory.

* * *

"If she was in the house, we'd have found her long ago" Yugo said.

Adamai rolled his eyes. He knew perfectly well his brother hasn't slept well and this, along with the worry, was making him whine, but to explain something for the hundredth time is a difficult test of a dragon's patience.

"Dally was checking there. Besides, it's a good observation point where we can meet if we get separated. And-"

"So what, if Amalia isn't there?"

Yugo glared at a dead trunk across the path, opened a portal and strolled to the other side.

"Hey, wait!"

Adamai scrambled over the log to plop onto the ground behind his brother. He had lots of bark under his claws, and it was really uncomfortable.

"And you don't know she isn't there."

Yugo blinked, as if seeing him for the first time in his life, then rubbed his neck, thinking out loud "Because she might have just got lost... and she could go to the house then. Ugh, you're right. I'm not thinking clearly."

"You said it" Adamai muttered, trying to shake the bark out.

"Maybe we should leave someone there? To wait for her?"

Great Dragon, thought Adamai, have mercy.

"It'll be faster to just go and see. If we don't find her, we can send someone later. Yugo!"

The dragon patted the eliatrope's shoulder, and the boy turned his large, clear brown eyes at him.

"Stop blubbering."

"I'm not" Yugo smiled. "Thanks for helping me."

"Erm, no drama, please" the dragon shuffled his feet in the dry leaves. He suddenly felt sort of sweaty.

"We're almost there."

"Mhm, I can see the house. Come on."

Adamai shot a discrete glance at the sun, right at the zenith. There was a rustle in the leaves.

"Yugo..."

"Yeah?"

Belatedly, he saw a flash of red. Just a piwi. The bird rummaged in the dead leaves some more, hopped a couple of hops, then spread its wings to fly to the nearest branch and stare at them, head tilted, from there. Adamai shook his head.

"What does wakfu tell you?"

"Not much. There's a lot of living critters here, we're in a forest. Can't distinguish anything. You?"

"Mmm, not really" but a sensitive draconic ear did catch a rustle in the ferns, and it was something larger than a piwi. A twig snapped.

"Did you hear this?"

"What?" Yugo turned and froze.

Surrounded by leafy branches, bending a bough down, Amalia stood before them, flushed, tousled, but hale, straight like a young tree.

"Amalia?"

"The dragoturkey got spooked and threw me off in the middle of the forest" the leaves rustled when she let go of the branch, walking up to them. Yugo held out his hands, but hung them down at his sides momentarily. He looked at Amalia, worried.

"Are you okay?"

"I fell on some leaves. Ii!" she shrieked, because Yugo suddenly hugged her with all his strength, breathing in the smell of earth, moss and the flower she had in her hair, and he undernote of a girl's sweat. Amalia's hand stroked his back, very gently, as if she wasn't sure whether she should touch him.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Err... it's fine..."

Adamai cleared his throat, rather loudly.

"Are we waiting till we grow roots here, or do you want to go back?"

"I'd really love a bath" there was something odd in Amalia's voice. Yugo let go of her reluctantly. It made him feel sort of cold, so he took the princess's hand.

"Come on already" Adamai moaned.

* * *

For the entire walk back to the palace Yugo never let go of her hand, not even when they had to cross a really narrow footbridge over a rapid stream where they couldn't walk alongside. He simply went first, leading Amalia, looking at her over his shoulder all the time.

And he kept asking how she was.

That felt nice. It's been a while since Amalia was the centre of so much attention, so she drank the feeling like dry moss drinks water. Adamai might have been rolling his eyes, but what counted was Yugo looking at her as if she was the greatest treasure in the world. As if he couldn't believe he'd found her.

When she walked out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a fluffy towel, Yugo was waiting in the hall. Together they went towards the princess's rooms. Amalia glanced at him exactly in the moment Yugo looked up at her. She went red as an api and hid her smile behind the fabric.

"Here we are" Yugo said.

Well, they were. Time to say goodnight.

Amalia turned the knob, but didn't open the door. Her other hand kept kneading the wet, cold towel.

"See you tomorrow."

"At breakfast" she nodded.

"Get lots of sleep" Yugo's voice was brimming with care and fondness, and yet Amalia suddenly felt cold. She put the towel on her shoulder.

"Uhm."

Yugo stood there still, looking at her, so with her elbow she opened the door and backed out into the room.

"Bye."

"Goodnight."

She shifted from one foot to the other, hand on the door panel, while Yugo rubbed his neck, flushing.

"Erm, I'll just" he waved his hand, but stayed where he was.

"Goodnight, Yugo" said Amalia. As softly as she could, she closed the door, then hung her towel on a peg.

"I can hear you standing there, you know?"

"No, you can't hear me going" Yugo said behind the door. "Erm... goodnight, then."

Amalia waited till his steps on the resin floor went away. Then she plopped onto the stool at her dressing table. Seeing herself in the mirror, she groaned. Nightmare. She dragged her brush over her hair, still wet-ish and tangled, tugging at a snarl which wouldn't go apart. Amalia stood up, combed her hair roughly with her fingers and, brushing it, began to walk around the room.

Suddenly the curtain in the balcony exit billowed.

"Knock, knock."

"Can't you get in by the door, like normal people?" she growled, turning back to the mirror. Her hair was still tangled.

"I am a dragon" said Adamai with dignity and went into the room, dragging the curtain behind him like a cape.

"These wings aren't there just to look good."

He flicked the curtain off them.

"I was going to bed, what do you want?"

"Just came to see if milady is happy with the service provided."

Amalia pulled at her hair. Impatiently, she clicked her tongue.

"Yugo's wrapped 'round your finger, and tomorrow night, I never told you that, there's going to be a party for the heroes who saved the missing princess" Adamai flashed his teeth, like he was sitting for a portrait.

"I'd call this a success."

"Yeah..."

The dragon looked her over, then shrugged.

"I see, you need your beauty sleep. I bow before thee" which he did, tipping an imaginary hat, and left through the balcony. Wings fluttered.

Amalia fell onto her bed, dropping the brush. The lamp at the dressing table was still lit, but she didn't have it in her to stand up.

* * *

"Thank you very much, Renate, but no."

The sadida pouted and Yugo, who sat at the princess's right, couldn't help snorting over his plate. Amalia swallowed a sigh.

"Really, I've had enough cocoa, thanks."

"It's nutritious! An entire night out in the forest! I wouldn't be surprised if you fell ill, darling. You have to take care of yourself."

"Yes, yes, I know" muttered Amalia, pushing her mug away.

The breakfast was ending, thankfully. The pile that Canar and Renate have been stacking in front of their princess was threatening to topple: two round jugs that held cocoa, little bowls emptied of nut paste and fruit salad, plates and glasses. Renate was holding the third jug tight with a very determined expression.

"Really, I might burst any time now" Amalia slumped in her chair, eyes closing.

"So, are we going anywhere?" Yugo chimed in merrily. It was an odd sort of merriment, artificial, but maybe that was her imagination?

"I can't get up."

Chairs started getting pushed back. The courtiers, full of breakfast, were leaving to start their usual activities.

Somebody pulled Amalia's hand, so she opened an eye.

"Wa-hey!" Yugo effortlessly pulled her up.

"Mmm... Where do you want to go?"

The boy tilted his head, looking at her through the blonde fringe. "Where do you want to go?"

Plates clinked in the servants' hands.

"I don't know" Amalia said, surprised. There was so much she wanted to tell him, to show him, to do together, and now she couldn't think of anything.

"How about visiting Eva and Dally?" suggested Yugo. The new parents took their meals in their rooms now, so they wouldn't have to leave the baby.

"Mhm."

"Or we could just take a stroll and catch up."

"Why not?" Amalia muttered. The hall was emptying slowly, the residents of the palace chatting in small groups, but the words of their conversations blended to make a sort of drone. Amalia had no idea what they were talking about. Yugo energetically waved at Alibert, who was at the door, Chibi on his arm. They both waved back. A servant girl, less and less gently, was persuading Renate to give up the cocoa jug.

Yugo gave her a light pull and Amalia followed him to a side garden.


	4. Chapter 4

"Which is the oldest evidence of humans in Amakna! Amalia?"

"What? Sorry, I got a bit lost. Don't you think this tree would use a little manure?"

Yugo, hands in his pockets, gave her a long look. She let go of the branch which went back to its place with a rustle, while she started fingering the hem of her top.

"I don't want to bore you."

"You're really not. It's all interesting, but..."

"What?

With a sigh, Amalia flumped onto the bench and pulled her knees up to her chin.

"I just can't focus" she confessed.

Yugo sat beside her. He rested his cheek on her shoulder and the pom-pom on his hat tickled Amalia's spine.

"We'll have to find something else to do, then" he said brightly. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Oh, Yugo, I'm not even bruised."

"Mmm..."

Amalia muffled a sigh. She was sitting in the garden with Yugo, he was talking to her, everything was just as she wanted...

But it wasn't.

The grass was wet, the wind was cold, the sun was burning hot on her bare shoulders. Suddenly Yugo jumped up, pulling Amalia after him - she didn't even have a chance to squeak.

"I know what you need! Exercise! Catch me!"

And, not waiting for her to answer, he dashed into the greenery.

"Yugo?"

With a shudder, she walked after him, although that wasn't the activity she was feeling up for. Her stomach felt like lead, so did her heart, the grass was really cold under her feet.

* * *

For the first time since she was a little girl, Amalia got herself lost in the maze of palace gardens.

"Yugo?! Ugh."

Pushing a branch away from her face, she walked into a round clearing. It was surrounded by a tangled wall of shrubs with large, white flowers and shiny, dark green leaves. A statue of dancing Dathura in the centre stared at her woodenly. The branch lashed at her back, recoiling.

"Stupid bush... Yugo! Are you there?"

The sunshine dimmed, as if hidden by a large cloud. The princess shuddered and hugged herself. The way to the next garden room had a curtain of flowering vines in it, which Amalia mechanically pushed aside.

"Yugo?"

"The grass squelched under her feet.

"Yugo!"

"He's not here, sweetie."

Startled, she saw her father looking at her from a high-backed bench. She would have seen him earlier if that wasn't for the shade of a weeping willow, the focal point of this clearing.

"Come and chat to your old man."

Slowly, reluctantly, Amalia went around the bench to stand before her father, wringing her hands behind her back.

"Sit down" he said, patting a moss-covered seat by his side. Amalia perched on its edge. They were both silent for a while.

"I'm glad you got home safe" father said finally. The princess hugged herself, eyes focused on a pale little flower at her feet, sad and gear-like.

"I was started to worry you'd come out in Frigost or somewhere and cause a diplomatic situation" her father chuckled, and Amalia felt her cheeks flush.

"That would be horrible" she hissed.

"Politically problematic, that's for sure."

"Problematic. Politically."

"Don't shout" father started, but Amalia sprung up.

"That's all you care about? I'm not important? I see your secretary more often than you! I know the names of your throne room guards' girlfriends! You haven't deigned to speak to me in days! Why don't you just sell me for some coal mining treaty?!"

She breathed in heavily.

"Do you see this tree, Amalia?"

She blinked. Her arms went down as she stared incredulously at her father.

"What?

"It has leaves, right?"

Amalia rolled her eyes. "If you don't want to talk-"

"Sit down."

"No, thanks."

"Sit down and look at the tree. Can you see it whole?"

"I don't feel like playing riddles."

"Can you see it whole?"

Amalia sighed. She flopped onto the bench, suddenly too tired to stand.

"No. Just bark, branches, leaves."

"Exactly" her father said, very solemn. "You can't see the roots, vascular bundles, many other parts that together make up tree."

"Daad..."

"And yet the tree would die without them."

"Have I ever said your work was unimportant?"

"No."

"It's like" Amalia stared at her own hands, folded in her lap "like I'm not a part of the tree lately. I feel like a fallen leaf."

"Why?"

"Everybody's doing something..."

"Have you visited the Tree of Life today?"

She rolled her eyes. "First thing in the morning. Yugo walked me there, you can ask him."

"No need, since you told me."

"But other than that I'm just milling about the palace, under everybody's feet."

"Since when?"

"What?"

"Since when are you underfoot?"

She bit her lip.

"I spoke to Eva yesterday" father said "she hasn't seen you much lately."

"She's busy" Amalia shrugged.

"No time to play with you, eh?"

"I'm not a child!"

There was a slight smile on her father's face. Amalia slumped on the bench. Somewhere overhead a piwi burst out into twitting song.

"I'm an idiot, aren't I?" she muttered.

"You said it."

"Amalia?" the shrubbery rustled and let out Yugo, his hat crooked on his head. He hesitated, seeing the king, but only for a second before bowing formally.

"Good morning."

"Nice to see you, Yugo" father rose from the bench "but I have to go to work now. As for you, Amalia, you're wrong."

She fluttered her eyelashes.

"You are a root, however small for now. When a root dies, the tree can't be well. Think about it."

He hugged his daughter briefly, then strolled away to the palace.

"What does he mean, a root?" Yugo asked, sitting down by Amalia's side.

"I haven't really worked this out yet."

Sunbeams finally got through the clouds and wove threads of honey gold into willow branches. Even the pale flower gained some colour.

"I'm sorry, Yugo."

"Whatever for?"

She brushed her bangs aside.

"For..."

I don't have to tell him, she thought, biting her lip. Not now.

"For making you worry" she finished, awkwardly.

"No problem. Sometimes it's a healthy thing, worrying."

Avoiding his eyes, Amalia arranged herself on the moss, elbow rested on the back of the bench and said "You never finished about these ruins at Emelka."

He looked flabbergasted for a moment, then laughed, rubbing his neck.

"I forgot. Why, do you wanna hear?"

"I do" she said, truthfully.

* * *

The blue blanket made a nice contrast with the single lock of ginger hair.

"She likes it, too" Yugo said confidently. The baby gurgled, sighed and closed her eyes.

"Of course" Eva smiled at Amalia, who felt herself blushing.

They were sitting on the bench by the statue, Dally stretched out in the grass at their feet, Yugo perched precariously on the back of the bench. Adamai was snoozing on the turf. Grougal and Chibi, under Alibert's watchful eye, were chasing each other, tumbling, laughing and whooping. Amalia sighed.

"Can't life always be like this?"

"You'd get bored out of your mind" deadpanned Yugo.

"Puff. I will anyway, when you go. Couldn't you stay one day longer?"

"Thanks" Eva smiled, and Yugo promised "We'll write to you."

"Have you got a name for her?" Amalia changed the subject.

Dally groaned.

"Anything I think of, Eva dislikes, and what she likes is too long or weird."

"Meaning no" Yugo summed up, rocking slightly on the back of the bench.

Amalia looked at the small face, decorated with a ginger lock. It was much smoother and less red than she remembered.

"Your name is long" she said.

"And everyone shortens it, or calls me something else anyway."

"M-m."

There was a smell of crushed grass, warm and summery. Amalia imagined a red-headed girl walking through a meadow in full sunlight, towards her destiny. A shining white tunic, a glint of steel in the girl's hand.

"Darcy" she said.

Eva tilted her head. Yugo carefully slid down onto the moss-covered seat.

"Darcy" Dally repeated. "Mmm. Darcy. I like it. You can call it."

"What do you think, young lady?" Eva asked lovingly.

The girl looked at Amalia with tiny, greyish brown eyes, almost exactly like her father's, and smiled toothlessly.

"Darcy it is" her mother decided.

"Hello, Darcy" said Yugo, looking over Amalia's shoulder. And he put his hand around her waist, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Darcy" Amalia said, intertwining her fingers with Yugo's free hand.

"Lee!" said the baby iop confidently.


End file.
